Corsets, rooks, textile art, lace, birthdays and charitable projects
So, I have been trying to take this week off work. It hasn't worked entirely, I've still been checking emails, scanning the online communities and so on... but still, I've had a good relaxing week and it isn't over yet :-)
I've been watching The Crimson Petal and the White which (whilst most certainly adult viewing) has some pretty sweet corsetry on show. I've been sketching out a composition for a painting I want to do (just for fun, but still closely related to my work as Sparklewren), reading about Secretariat (all the facts and figures are making my head swim), and dreaming about a garment that I hope to be working on soon with a good friend of mine.
We did out Fine Art degrees together and at the time she was producing these incredible textile pieces whilst I was making feathered wings and rook head masks. She did big frames stretched with layers of fabrics (sheers, laces, patterns, and so on) which were then built up in abstract forms growing out of the canvas. These abstract shapes often had a figurative starting point, and the overall pieces were just delicious. I always wanted to wrap myself up in them! They were colourful, organic, sparkly and intricate. So I've been saying for a few years that I could really see that idea being developed on a gown of some kind. Well, we've finally decided to collaborate on a corseted piece, clashing our two styles together and seeing what the subsequent explosion produces! I've got an image in my head (right down to the model we hope to build this piece around and the sort of shoes she could wear), but it may change. The brilliant thing about collaborating is that you get pushed in directions you might not have chosen yourself. Anyway, I have my starting corset pattern, I took delivery today of some gorgeous antique lace for it, and all we need now is to spend some time together researching, sketching, and taking our next steps. Exciting!
Since there's quite a lot of lace and I have a real urge to do a piece with that sort of puckered appearance of the lace placement on some Edwardian antique corsets I did consider using the DPP2011 as an excuse to use up some of this lacy loveliness. But the years open to interpretation for the DPP are 1812 and 1912... Hmm. So I'll have to find a different excuse to do that lace placement. But I would also like to take part in the DPP again as it's a project that pushes you to consider things you hadn't considered before. The push for me would be that I just don't find the corsetry of 1812 or 1912 especially beautiful at all. I mean, the Teens outer layers are stunning, but the corsetry just doesn't quite do it for me. But there must be some beauty in there! There must be some small element of those two years that has something I can find inspiring... Perhaps the slope of the corsets, the decorative techniques, the type of boning, or the fabrics? Or maybe the trick would be taking elements of the outer layer and applying them to the corsetry? I'll need to research.
Speaking of inspiring Edwardian stuff though, I'm so excited to see if harmanhay and her lovely partner can raise enough money to travel over to Haiti and help with her own hands *plus* then come back to the UK to begin work on potentially the most mind-blowing gown I'll ever see close up ('cos if that dress gets made there's no way on earth I'm not having a close-up nose at the goldwork!). Even the corset should be gorgeous, coloured peacock feathers embroidered over those crazy Edwardian seams! I'm drooling just thinking about it. You only need to donate 15USD to have a feather on the dress in your name, which I think is incredible given I believe this piece will most certainly become an heirloom or museum item in the centuries to come.
I think it's a really interesting and clever notion too actually... you donate to something worthwhile but also get to follow this incredible dress-diary as a sweetener to the deal. Building a refuge *and* building an historical replica. Working for the future and revering the past. The dress is a little bit of extra encouragement to do something good with your spare pennies and I'd much rather follow this unique dress diary than sponsor Cathy to climb an already-climbed mountain, or run an already-run marathon :-)
Last weekend was my friend V's birthday, which I was finishing the petrol green corset for. 'Twas scrumptious. I didn't manage to get photos before handing it over but we took loads of photos on the night, so hopefully I'll be able to grab one or two to upload. I'd like to show you the front interior/exterior detail in particular as I love it. I'm now considering trying that detail on all the panels of a corset as I think it could be really striking along with giving a super smooth effect.
Anyway, enough waffling. I have some serious relaxing to do you know.
I've been watching The Crimson Petal and the White which (whilst most certainly adult viewing) has some pretty sweet corsetry on show. I've been sketching out a composition for a painting I want to do (just for fun, but still closely related to my work as Sparklewren), reading about Secretariat (all the facts and figures are making my head swim), and dreaming about a garment that I hope to be working on soon with a good friend of mine.
We did out Fine Art degrees together and at the time she was producing these incredible textile pieces whilst I was making feathered wings and rook head masks. She did big frames stretched with layers of fabrics (sheers, laces, patterns, and so on) which were then built up in abstract forms growing out of the canvas. These abstract shapes often had a figurative starting point, and the overall pieces were just delicious. I always wanted to wrap myself up in them! They were colourful, organic, sparkly and intricate. So I've been saying for a few years that I could really see that idea being developed on a gown of some kind. Well, we've finally decided to collaborate on a corseted piece, clashing our two styles together and seeing what the subsequent explosion produces! I've got an image in my head (right down to the model we hope to build this piece around and the sort of shoes she could wear), but it may change. The brilliant thing about collaborating is that you get pushed in directions you might not have chosen yourself. Anyway, I have my starting corset pattern, I took delivery today of some gorgeous antique lace for it, and all we need now is to spend some time together researching, sketching, and taking our next steps. Exciting!
Since there's quite a lot of lace and I have a real urge to do a piece with that sort of puckered appearance of the lace placement on some Edwardian antique corsets I did consider using the DPP2011 as an excuse to use up some of this lacy loveliness. But the years open to interpretation for the DPP are 1812 and 1912... Hmm. So I'll have to find a different excuse to do that lace placement. But I would also like to take part in the DPP again as it's a project that pushes you to consider things you hadn't considered before. The push for me would be that I just don't find the corsetry of 1812 or 1912 especially beautiful at all. I mean, the Teens outer layers are stunning, but the corsetry just doesn't quite do it for me. But there must be some beauty in there! There must be some small element of those two years that has something I can find inspiring... Perhaps the slope of the corsets, the decorative techniques, the type of boning, or the fabrics? Or maybe the trick would be taking elements of the outer layer and applying them to the corsetry? I'll need to research.
Speaking of inspiring Edwardian stuff though, I'm so excited to see if harmanhay and her lovely partner can raise enough money to travel over to Haiti and help with her own hands *plus* then come back to the UK to begin work on potentially the most mind-blowing gown I'll ever see close up ('cos if that dress gets made there's no way on earth I'm not having a close-up nose at the goldwork!). Even the corset should be gorgeous, coloured peacock feathers embroidered over those crazy Edwardian seams! I'm drooling just thinking about it. You only need to donate 15USD to have a feather on the dress in your name, which I think is incredible given I believe this piece will most certainly become an heirloom or museum item in the centuries to come.
I think it's a really interesting and clever notion too actually... you donate to something worthwhile but also get to follow this incredible dress-diary as a sweetener to the deal. Building a refuge *and* building an historical replica. Working for the future and revering the past. The dress is a little bit of extra encouragement to do something good with your spare pennies and I'd much rather follow this unique dress diary than sponsor Cathy to climb an already-climbed mountain, or run an already-run marathon :-)
Last weekend was my friend V's birthday, which I was finishing the petrol green corset for. 'Twas scrumptious. I didn't manage to get photos before handing it over but we took loads of photos on the night, so hopefully I'll be able to grab one or two to upload. I'd like to show you the front interior/exterior detail in particular as I love it. I'm now considering trying that detail on all the panels of a corset as I think it could be really striking along with giving a super smooth effect.
Anyway, enough waffling. I have some serious relaxing to do you know.